1904] Davenport, — Notes on New England Ferns, — VI 31 



out. P'ig. 2 shows the lip of S.praecox (from Thomasville, Georgia) 

 similarly treated: hoth from material presen'ed in alcohol. 



A.MKS Botanical Laboratory, North Kaston, Massachusetts. 



ExPLANAJ'iON OF Pi.ATE 51. — Spinittthes ueglecta \.o show inflorescence, 

 leaves, and roots. (Natural size.) Fitj. i, petal (X 3)- Fig. 2, lateral sepal to 

 show involute margin (X 3). Fig. 3, flower (X 3)- Fig. 4, upper sepal (X 3). 

 Fig. 5, lip, flattened out to show outline (X 3)- 



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON .NEW ENGLAND 

 FERNS,— VL 



George E. Davenport. 



Note 10. — A New For.m of Nephrodhm simnulosum. Some- 

 what late in the suinmer of 1902 Mr. Henry A. Purdie brought to me 

 an unusual form of Nephrodiiim spi/iulosufn, Desv., which he had col- 

 lected in Concord, Massachusetts. His specimen consisted of one 

 large frond with narrowly angular aculeate segments resembling 

 some forms of Polystichum angulare, the whole presenting an appear- 

 ance quite unlike the ordinary forms of A^ spiniilosuni. 



Mr. Purdie reported finding only one plant, which he carefully 

 located for further investigation, and in August, 1903, I had the 

 pleasure of visiting the locality with him and was able to obtain a 

 few additional fronds for specimens. I also secured, by detaching 

 them from the main rootstock, two offshoots for propagation, and was 

 able to separate these subsequently into two more, thus obtaining 

 four small plants as a nucleus for further increase. The swamp in 

 which the original plant was found abounds with intermedium and 

 dilatatum forms of N. spinulosiifn, and characteristics of each of 

 these are to be seen in the inake-up of the new form. Indeed, it 

 might be not inaptly described as a very much dissected \ar. 

 intermedium with the outlines of var. dilatatum. In the vicinity of 

 the plant there were a few large individuals of var. intermedium and 

 from them the new fern was readily distinguishable by its unique 

 architectural form, notwithstanding some resemblance to its nearest 

 neighbor. 



As to its probable origin two theories present themselves ; for it 

 may be either a hybrid or a spore \ariation. In this instance I am 



